Adhesive tape dispensers are available generally in the form of desktop tape dispensers and hand-held tape dispensers and requiring the use of two hands, some of which dispensers apply tape directly to a surface. However, these dispensers have problems with preventing tape from unreeling tape cutting, prevention of tape from retracting into the dispenser after cutting, tape adhering inadvertently to the dispenser housing and contamination of the protruding tape end when not in use. Other dispensers are unable to satisfactory overcome these problems economically or require multiple components and elaborate mechanisms, friction or gravity to alleviate the problems. Suitability of such tape dispensers is premised upon minimizing the cost of manufacture whilst maintaining the functionality of the dispenser. This invention overcomes all the hand-held dispenser/applicator issues and also functions as a freestanding desk top tape dispenser.